Homemade bento box

This is lunch in its rawest form, taking us back to its japanese roots, where the art of compartmentalisation was mastered long before the lunch box graced our schoolbags.

Ingredients

Quantity

Ingredient

see method for ingredients

Method

Grains and pulses:

A chance to use up any leftover grains or get creative and cook some to suit the flavour combination you’re aiming for. Options include: wild rice, quinoa, bulgur wheat, buckwheat, farro, pearl barley, spelt, soba noodles, lentils or millet.

Vegetables:

These can be raw, cooked or a combination of both. Roasting a whole batch of vegetables and refrigerating them until needed is a great way to grab and go in the morning. This can include sweet potatoes, beetroot, squash, courgette and mushrooms. Raw vegetables can range from radishes, carrot and cucumber to shelled edamame beans.

Leafy greens:

Another opportunity to be resourceful and scour the fridge. You can use anything – kale, rocket, spinach, Swiss chard, watercress, cabbage (red cabbage for more colour), lettuce or pak choi … the possibilities are endless.

Protein:

To make a more sustaining lunch, add protein such as smoked salmon, tofu, egg, chickpeas, chicken or cheese.